The hero returns.

Downloaded the map and started playing (as/with a hero). In the early game, instead of developing Sigrif, I focused on his companion, and it seems to be working well – on the sixth day, I captured the orange Underground City. That’s all for now. The only annoyance is that the computer never offers any way to improve its logistics. I'm naturally developing Shadow Magic, as other types of magic are not relevant for large maps. Chaos magic is good for small maps and fast-paced battles with a relatively small number of creatures (the first few dozen creatures of level 7). I'll write more about what happens next.